Ragging, Harassment Spur Protest at Pondicherry University Campus

Ragging and harassment have forced the students of Pondicherry University call for a massive protest against what they call “goondaraj” prevailing in the university. The protest strike organized on Tuesday came about as a response to the attack on the students who supported the girls who filed a complaint against the threat of rape and ragging by a senior student from Dept. of Physical Education .

According to the protesting students, the Kallapett police has already filed an FIR under IPC section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women) against the senior student.

They said, the students who had supported the girls to file the complaint were under threat for the past few days. On Tuesday, they were subject to manhandling too by a gang of around 40 senior students. The attackers had threatened the junior students of dire consequences if the senior student, against whom the petition was filed, is suspended from the college.

The protest saw students, including girls, in large numbers, demanding an immediate halt on ragging and harassment. According to the protesters, “ the insensitivity of the authorities is the root cause of these kinds of harassment”. They added that students are under the constant fear of being attacked at any moment.

The protesting students have also expressed concern over chances of false cases being foisted against students who helped the girls to file the complaint against the senior student who had allegedly harassed them.